Kiwi Kobori Riding Wave of Major Optimism

Louisville, Kentucky, United States: Kazuma Kobori has earned a special invitation to compete in his first Major at this week’s PGA Championship, just seven months after transitioning into the professional game.

Kobori hit his last shot as an amateur during the 14th edition of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) at Royal Melbourne Golf Club last November, finishing sixth.

Since turning professional at the Queensland PGA Championship, the 22-year-old New Zealander has already won three times on the PGA Tour of Australasia and topped the Australasian Tour’s Order of Merit, earning him an invite to The Open and the PGA Championship.

The 432nd-ranked player in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) found out he was in the field at Valhalla Golf Club while preparing for the Cello Invitational South Island Qualifying event, where he received a text from his manager. He said it was an unexpected but welcome surprise.

“My manager said: ‘Congrats, you’re in the PGA’. I knew he was pushing for the invite. My ranking isn’t as good as some of the other players in the world, so I didn’t think I’d get it, but I’m very grateful for his help and happy I’m playing this week.

“I’m 22, and I’m playing in a Major. When I turned professional in November, I just wanted to keep my Australian Tour card and aim for a top-10 on the Order of Merit, which would have got me into the second stage of DP World Tour Qualifying School.

“Everything is happening quickly, but I’m just trying to ride the wave,” said Kobori, who will tee-off from the 10th hole at 12.40 pm local time alongside past PGA Championship winner Rich Beem of America and Swede Sebastian Soderberg.

The 156-man PGA Championship field at Valhalla includes 16 former PGA Championship winners, 33 Major winners, and most of the top-50 players in the OWGR.

Kobori, who sits in Phase Four of Golf New Zealand’s Talent Development Plan as a rookie professional, believes this week provides him with the perfect opportunity to measure himself against the world’s best players, even if he’s playing on the biggest stage of his young career.

“It’s pretty nerve-racking,” he said. “If you exclude Pro-Ams, I think it’s going to be my 18th tournament as a pro. We’re going into the deep end, so let’s do it!

“By the end of the week, I want to have a good idea of where my game compares with the best players in the world. This is a good opportunity to benchmark where I’m at, and I can only do that if I stay out of my own way and play my game the way I know I can.”

Kobori joins compatriot Ryan Fox in the field. Fox, who also participated in the AAC during his amateur days, played in all four Majors last year and the Masters last month.

Kobori has travelled to Valhalla with fellow Australasian Tour professional Tyler Wood, who will be his caddie for the week.

He also has earned full DP World Tour status following his PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit victory. 

Among the highlights of Kobori’s amateur career were finishing as the low individual at last year’s World Amateur Team Championships for the Eisenhower Trophy in Abu Dhabi, winning the Western Amateur and Australian Amateur, as well as being medallist at Australasian Tour School.

*Article courtesy Golf New Zealand.